NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The scene was bleak for the nationally-ranked Christopher Newport softball team, staring a doubleheader sweep to No. 24 Randolph-Macon College in the face as the Captains came to the plate trailing by seven in the final inning of game two. But, a little march madness made its way to the diamond as the Captains scored eight runs in the bottom of the seventh to storm all the way back for a walk-off 11-10 win in game two of the doubleheader. 

The thrilling finish to the twin bill salvaged a split for the home team as the Captains improved to 15-5 overall this season. Randolph-Macon, which won the first game, 9-0, after five innings, improved to 11-9 with the split. 

After the Yellow Jackets took a 9-2 lead after four innings, rookie Cora Grace Sparger put together a strong final three frames to keep the Captains as close as possible. Coming out of the bullpen for the first time in her career, the lefty retired eight in a row heading into the top of the seventh. R-MC tacked on one more run in the seventh to take a 10-3 lead to set up the monstrous game-winning inning for the Captains. 

Starting the spurt was Brooke Zuber, who laced a single right by the glove of the first baseman to lead off the bottom of the seventh. After Alexah Gordon came on to pinch run, senior Isabel Hall wasted no time getting the Captains faithful on their feet with a two run blast to right center field on the first pitch of her at-bat. Simone Thompson then left no doubt on the very next pitch as she obliterated the offering over the scoreboard in left field. 

The quick three run start to the seventh forced the Yellow Jackets into the bullpen but the aggressive approach at the plate continued. Rookie Olivia Miller singled into left on the first pitch she saw and Mackenzie Sowonik reached on a groundball to the right side three pitches into her at-bat. The line kept moving as Kimberly Jones smoked a single through the left side to load the bases and bring up Natalie Quinlan as a pinch hitter. 

Still trailing in the game, 10-6, Quinlan represented the game-tying run at the plate. Despite falling behind in the count, 0-2, the veteran slugger stayed composed and ripped a single up the middle to plate two more runs, making it 10-8. The next batter, Candace Slaw, drove in a run with a groundball to shortstop and the Captains had the tying run at third base with nobody out and an elite base stealer at first. Slaw promptly took advantage with a theft of second base and the game-winning run was in scoring position. 

Katrina Swan was the hitter. With a base open at first, the Yellow Jackets were careful pitching to the veteran outfielder, falling behind 3-1. On the next pitch, Swan drove a base hit into left field scoring the game-tying run and the speedster at second, Slaw, swung around third and sprinted into a slide at home to send the CNU squad into celebration. 

The unforgettable come-from-behind win was the largest deficit overcome by the Captains since Otterbein coughed up an eight-run lead on March 4, 2018; the Cardinals led 10-2 before CNU came back to win 13-12. 

In the win, Zuber and Jones led the way by going 3-for-4 at the plate while Slaw (2-5) and Miller (2-4) each had multi-hit games. The back-to-back home runs by Hall and Thompson highlighted a game that featured five extra-base hits including an earlier home run by Zuber. 

Prior to the big inning, CNU scored two runs in the third and one more in the fifth. Zuber's two-run balst in the third came after Slaw beat out an infield single up the middle to get a runner on ahead of the slugger. Then, in the fifth, Swan walked and Zuber singled up the middle. After Hall walked to load the bases, the Yellow Jackets nearly escaped with no damage but an error allowed Swan to score. R-MC scored eight runs in the first four innings with one in the first, two in the second and third, and four more in the fourth, taking a big lead. 

Sparger improved to 8-3 with 4.0 innings of relief, surrendering four hits. She also pitched a complete game in the first, striking out two over 5.0 innings pitched. 

The Captains were defeated by the 8-run mercy rule in game one as the Yellow Jackets scored one run in the first, four in the third, and four more in the top of the fifth to take a 9-0 lead. CNU was unable to record a hit against Kailey Jackson, who was in the circle when the Captains mounted their seventh-inning rally in game two. 

Christopher Newport will hit the road for the next three dates with matchups at Averett (March 26), York College of Pennsylvania (March 29), and Bridgewater (April 1). CNU will return home to take on the University of Lynchburg on Saturday, April 4 at 2:00 p.m.